Part 3: Temples, Forbidden City

Temples

- Contains statue of Buddha

Temples

- Situated in the Middle of towns and have a north-south axis

THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

● One of the brilliant ancient architectures in China.

THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

● It is also an outstanding masterpiece of classic imperial buildings throughout Chinese history.

THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

● The site was first built in 1420 by Yongle Emperor, then expanded by the subsequent emperors of both the Mind and Qing Dynasty and has served as the holy place for emperors to pay homage to Heaven and to pray for a year of a rich harvest.

THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

● In 1998, UNESCO listed it in the World Heritage Sites list with the description as “a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world’s great civilizations.”

Huangqiongyu Pavilion.

● The most important building of the Huanqiu Altar is

QINIAN HALL, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest)

- The most significant building in the Temple of Heaven

QINIAN HALL, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest)

- It is a wooden triple-gable circular pavilion that is 38 meters high with a three-level marble stone base.

QINIAN HALL, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest)

- The ancient emperors prayed for good harvest here.

HUANGQIONGYU HALL, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (The Imperial Vault of Heaven)

- It is smaller with only one circular gable and one level of marble stone base compared with Qinian Hall.

HUANGQIONGYU HALL, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (The Imperial Vault of Heaven)

- It is the place to enshrine the worshipping tablets of Gods.

HUANGQIU ALTAR, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (The Circular Mound Altar)

- An empty circular platform with three levels of marble stones.

HUANGQIU ALTAR, TEMPLE OF HEAVEN (The Circular Mound Altar)

- Vivid dragons were carved in the stones to stand for the emperors.

SOUTH PUTUO TEMPLE / NANPUTUO TEMPLE

● A 1000 years old Buddhist resort in Southern Fujian.

SOUTH PUTUO TEMPLE / NANPUTUO TEMPLE

the center of Buddhism exchange at home and abroad. It is also a national key Buddhist temple in the Han area and one of the 8-scenic spots in Xiamen City.

SOUTH PUTUO TEMPLE / NANPUTUO TEMPLE

● With a thousand-year-old history, the temple was first built in the late Tang Dynasty and was called SIZHOU TEMPLE.

SOUTH PUTUO TEMPLE / NANPUTUO TEMPLE

● It is facing the azure sea in the south with a serene mountain in its back.

TIANWANG HALL, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE / HALL OF HEAVENLY KINGS

- Situates at the forefront of the central axis and worships Maitreya Buddha.

TIANWANG HALL, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE / HALL OF HEAVENLY KINGS

- The entrance door of the temple is just in front of Tianwang Hall. Entering the hall, you’ll see 4 Devarajas with fierce stares on the two sides of the hall, with the smiling Maitreya Buddha in the center.

DABEI HALL, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE / HALL OF GREAT COMPASSION

- Worships thousand-hand Kwan-yin, it was built in the Qing Dynasty.

DABEI HALL, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE / HALL OF GREAT COMPASSION

- The main hall is an octagon shape, and the structure is very delicate and tight like spider web.

DAXIONG HALL, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE / MAHAVIRA HALL

- Built in 1926, it is a wooden architecture with green titles in the roof and stone pillars as support and the beam is carved and the pillar is painted, which represent the traditional architecture skill in Southern Fujian.

DAXIONG HALL, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE / MAHAVIRA HALL

- Monks will do morning and even lessons in the hall.

DAXIONG HALL, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE / MAHAVIRA HALL

- Dharma assembly, worship and other Buddhism activities are also held in this hall.

DEPOSITORY OF BUDDHIST SUTRAS, SOUTH PATUO TEMPLE

- The highest building among the architecture on the central axis in South Putuo temple

FAMEN TEMPLE PAGODA / KING ASOKA TEMPLE

● It is a famous Buddhist temple with a long history and became the Holy Land of Buddhism because the finger bone relic of Sakyamuni was placed in it.

FAMEN TEMPLE PAGODA / KING ASOKA TEMPLE

● Therefore, 84, 84,000 pagodas were built all over the world. There are 19 such pagodas in China, among which ______ is the largest one.

FAMEN TEMPLE PAGODA / KING ASOKA TEMPLE

also known as “the real Spirit Pagoda”

FAMEN TEMPLE PAGODA / KING ASOKA TEMPLE

“forefather of pagodas and temples in Central Shaanxi”.

FAMEN TEMPLE PAGODA / KING ASOKA TEMPLE

● It’s a brick octagon pagoda of 13 stories, 47 meters in height.